When children are trapped in a cyber world

Too much technology can hamper the social development of kids.
Growing up with technology can be great fun. With iPods, iPads, cell phones and Skype, technology has become like a window to the world. But too much of technology or cyber addiction is hampering the social development of kids. Let us have a look at the seven things that happened when kids got trapped in the cyber world.
Kids confined within the four walls: Kids are not playing out door games any more.“Kids don’t play out in the open air. In fact that is one of the main reasons for obesity in kids. Games like hide- and seek, climbing up trees and I sent a letter to my mother is completely unheard of amongst kids these days,” says nutritionist Sunayna Sharma. Kids are falling out of the habit of reading: Kids don’t know about fairy tales any more. They are falling out of the habit of reading.
But writer, Nandita Bose has to say, “Newer technologies and personal electronic gadgets have impacted the way we live. We are yet to gauge the full impact of these gadgets on children's minds. For all we know they would best equip the next generation for the world of the future, so perhaps all the doomsday scenario are a little exaggerated.” She further adds, “As far as reading is concerned, the fact is that no one really reads enough! Not even adults. Watching adults enjoy reading is a sure fire way of ensuring that the children will also read.”
Kids have stopped playing board games: Kids these days are found playing online games most of the time. Says, Ragini Nanda, a school teacher from the city, “Children learn a lot of things from board games. They learn vocabulary, mathematics skills and at the same time board games increases the concentration of the kids. It is a fantastic way to satisfy a child’s competitive spirit.”
Kids don’t develop a bond with friends: Virtual friends have become real friends. Kids really don’t know what real friendship means. Friendship has become more of digital bonding than emotional bonding. They don’t share their sorrows and happiness with their friends.
Parents and Kids relationship are getting affected: Television and video games have become more of a baby sitter. “Parents and children are not spending enough time with each other. Even when they go out the whole family is busy playing some game on the iPad or texting some body a message,” says children counselor, Sunayna Chatterjee.
Kids are losing their creativity: It is a sad state of affair that kids are no longer making sand castles, the piano in the house is collecting dust and they are no longer interested in painting. “In parties too kids gather together and they get busy with electronic gadgets. They don’t even talk to each other. They eat also in front of the computer,” observes Ragini.
Kids are not getting enough sleep: Cyber addiction is a serious addiction by which kids are not getting enough sleep. There is a common tendency for kids to lose track of time when they are busy playing some game online. Pediatrician, Rohini Dixit says, “They get mentally tired and it has been noticed that they are generally irritable and they don’t realise that they are sleepy since they are so engrossed in playing.” It is advisable not to ban computer games completely, but to have fixed timing for it and the digital break time applies to parents as well where both the parents and kids should switch off all electronic gadgets.